Improvement in faucets



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lication, in which- THOMAS SOMERVILIJE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ROBERT LEITCH, OF SAlillilP/LMlE.

Letters Patent No. 101,533, dated April 5, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN .'E'AU'CETS.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, THOMAS SoMnRviLLn, of Washington city and `Districtof Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFaucets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereonmaking part of this speci- Figure lis a vertical sectional view throughthe center of a basin, cock, or faucet, showing distinctly the featuresthat constitute my improvement.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, my improvements being shown asapplied to a cask or barrel-faucet.

My invention consists in an improvement in that class of faucets inwhich the valve that controls the 'ilow of liquid is regulated by ascrew-spindle or stem.

My improvements consist- 1. In forming a perfectly tight joint betweenthe spindle and the cap. through which it passes and iu which it works,without the introduction of elastic' or equivalent packing. This joint,which is a ground one,

is formed bya shoulder on the spindle, the under surface of which isslightly curved or beveled, and a corresponding recess in the cap. Bythis means I forni a safe and durable joint, and one that eli'ectuallyprevents the water, or other liquid, li'om improperly passing to andthrough the upper section of the faucet.

My improvement also consists in constructing the valve or valve-plugcircular in form, and with a broad, well-defined screw-thread cut on itsouter surface, which meshes with and lits corresponding threads on theinner surface of the valve-chamber. The valveopening which receives thespindle is square or angular. The valve or plug is to be provided with aswivel base or hea-d. By this construction of valve the surface on whichthe screw-threads are cut, being so much greater than when they areformed in and around the center opening of the valve, allows of a moredurable and substantial thread being used, which, in view ol' theimmense wear incident to the continuous working of the valve, is mostimportant, and the swivel hase or head of the valve prevents. all unduevfriction at its point of contact with the seat, which is also mostdcsirable.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use vmy invention, Iwill now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In each gure of the drawing- A represents the receiving-pipe or chamberwhich connects with the valve-case or chamber B, through an opening, b,and y.

A', is the discharge-pipe, or nozzle. vThese are all of the ordinaryform and construction.

C is the cap, and is provided with a female screwthread, c, by means ofwhich it is connected with the screw-neck, b2, of the valve-chamber B.

I) is the spindle or stem which works in, and is securely attached to,the centerA opening of the cap by means of a screw-uut, D'. Ou thisspindle D is a shoulder, d, the lower surface of which is beveled, orout slightly circular, as shown in the drawing. Vhen the spindleis'iuserted in the cap, this shoulder rests in a recess or seat, d',arranged in the cap C. The contour or form of this recess d' correspondsexactly With the shoulder d. In manufacturing, this shoulder dand'rccess d' are so nished by the application o1' pumice-stone, orother equivalent substance, that, when fitted together in the faucet,they shall form a ground joint. Thus it will be observed that I amenabled to form a perfectly tight and durable joint connectionl betweenthe stern or spindle and the cap, and one that prevents the passage ofall water, or other fluid, into the cap and through its upper sectionwithout the aid of elastic or other packing, which, in use, has provenso iueitcctivc, since the pressure which it is called upon to resistsoon forces it out ot' its original position. causing, as a consequence,a loose or leaky joint.

The great advantage of' this arrangement is found in the fact that theshoulder works into its seat, and

. not away from it. 'lhus allli'ction wear, to which the joint isnecessarily subjected, has the tendency to tighten it as it carries theshoulder deeper into the sent, consequent] y never leaving a loosejoint, as would be tbc case were the relative position of' the shoulderand' scat reversed. Between the upper face of the shoulder d and thecap-nut 1)', a washer,.dz, may bc introduced.

E is the valve or valve-plug, which is' circular in form and hollow.

E' is a coarse, wcll-delincd screw-thread cut around the out-er surfaceot' the upper section of the valve or plug E, and which meshes with, orfits and works in, a corresponding scrcw-tlucad cnt on the inner surfaceof the upper section of the valve-chamber B.

, h is a swivel base, or head of the valve, and is proyided with aT-shaped bearing F', which enters the valve, and is secured therein bymeans of screws fjl These screws work under the arms of the T-shapedbearing F', allowing ofthe frecst revolution of the valve ou its base.The upper section of the interior lopening of the valve is not like itslower section, circular, but square or angular, in order to give it awrench bearing on the spindle or stem D, as shown at G.

The great advantages of this arrangement of valve are that instead ofcutting thescrewfthread, as is usual with this class of faucets, aroundthe end of the spindle at G, and a female screw in thc upper section ofthe center opening of the valve, itis cut around the outer surface ofthe valve, which, being of so much larger dimensions, allows ot' acoarse or heavy thread, one better adapted to the constant wear to whichthe valveis necessarily subjected, while the swivel base F entirelyprotects the lower surface of the valve from ull undue friction at itspoint of Contact with its seat B.

H is a washer, which may be attached to the lower section of the valveby a, screw, h, as is the usual custom.

Having thus fully described my invention,

'What I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is-

1. The spindle or stem D, having a, shoulder d, and the cap C with itsrecess or seat d', when said shoulder I.nd seat are so attached that theshoulder shall work Witnesses JAS. W. SOMERVILLE,

JOHN T. C. CLARK.

